Dish washing machine



March 21, 1967 c. RL SOUTHA RD 3,310,150

DISH WASHING MACHINE I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1964 INVENTOR 0 RE 5 TON R. SOUTH/1WD March 1967 c. R. SOUTHARD DISH WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23, 1964 INVENTOR.

GRESTOIV R. .SOU THAI-I 0 United States Patent 3,310,150 DISH WASHING MACHINE Creston R. Southard, Rte. 7, Gyddie Drive, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105 Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 412,982 7 Claims. (Cl. 198--24) This invention relates to dish washing machines and more particularly to an automatic dish washing apparatus incorporating a dish rack advancing conveyor in each of two or more compartments, the plurality of compartments affording efficient placement of the dish washer in a heretofore unaccessible room corner.

In dish washing machines of the type to which the present invention generally relates, a rack of dishes is washed and thereafter rinsed in a chamber enclosed within the machine. The dishes are washed by a plurality of elongated, tubular, fluid spraying members, these members directing a plurality of streams of washing fluid from above and below onto dishes being washed or rinsed from a plurality of outlets spaced longitudinally along those tubular members. Wash fluid is pumped into the spray pipes by a circulating pump which receives the water from a tank compartment below the spray pipes. The pump is driven by an electic motor of convenient and conventional size. After the washing operation is completed, the dishes are sprayed one or more times by a rinse in the same manner as described above for the washing cycle.

The normal construction of dish washing machines having both a wash and rinse cycle is a continuous, rectangularly shaped compartment built in a fashion to accommodate racks of dishes first in a washing area and then directly along a straight path of travel from this area in a rinsing zone. Such a constructed machine requires much valuable floor space either in the middle of or along a useful straight wall of the kitchen or wash room. As the capacity and speed of such a machine is increased, it becomes necessary to extend the length of both the washing and rinsing zones to meet this expansion. This again requires more floor space, and eventually, should the size justify it, even a larger room is needed to accommodate the extended length of such a device.

The present invention provides a compact, spaceadapted and efficient dish washing machine for meeting present-day size requirements in an accessible and spacesaving manner. The wash and rinse zones are separated into two chambers, and these chambers may be joined one to the other in any convenient manner to best utilize floor space available for the apparatus. The most common application of such a device would be in a substantially 90 degree room corner since that particular space does not usually lend itself to the functional needs of a kitchen or wash room. By delivering racks of soiled dishes into the wash chamber situated parallel to one wall and having them automatically inserted into the rinse chamber positioned parallel to a second wall extending at an angle of approximately 90 degrees from the first wall, there is afforded maximum utilization of floor space and machine efficiency to the user.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a space saving dish washing machine made up of a plurality of wash and rinse chambers for easy adaptation and placement in normally inaccessible room areas.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dish washing apparatus adaptable to specific placement in room corners so as to avoid occupying and blocking valuable center floor space within a room.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a dish washing apparatus in which dish racks containing dishes may be conveyed continuously through washing and rinsing stages to a remote location.

A further object of this invention is to provide a directable path of travel through a dish washing apparatus so as'to best utilize available room space.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a dish washing machine of the most practicable, convenient and economical size by adapting that machine to follow room contours.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, partially exposed interior view of a dish washing apparatus adapted for room corner installation;

FIG. 2 is an isolated perspective view of the bell crank and pawl bar actuating mechanism for use in a dish washing apparatus constructed for room corner installation;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of pawls and rack advancing means disposed in the center support bar and mounted for pawl bar operation;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded fragmentary view of a center support member showing the rack advancing members and particularly the pivotally secured angle pawl disposed therein;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side plan view of the pivotally secured angle pawl and its cooperating movement within its center support or pawl bar member to advance a dish rack; and

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system for the dish washing apparatus constructed for room corner installation.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the first conveyors center support member showing a shoe attached to the last pawl of that member to prevent disturbing rack alignment during its travel through the second conveyor.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view of the pawl bar actuating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present dish washer unit comprises two separate chambers one positioned to supply the other with advancing racks of dishes so that each chamber cooperates with its adjacent chamber to alternately receive and discharge racks of dishes introduced therein. The first cabinet 10 is provided with a front wall 11, side walls 12, and a base 13 elevated above the ground a suitable distance by means of pedestals 14. Front wall 11 is provided with a dish rack-receiving opening 15 through which racks loaded with soiled dishes are presented to be received and supported on laterally spaced apart rack-supporting rails 16. These rails are mounted by suitable brackets to the side walls 12, and extend horizontally through cabinet 10 and any adjacent cabinet such as generally designated 28 to support and guide racks into and through each of these dish receiving chambers. A reciprocating conveyor pawl bar 17 (FIG. 2) is mounted between rails 16 to advance dish racks supported on the rails through the cabinets continuously by intermittent movement as the bar is longitudinally reciprocated by means of a pawl bar reciprocating mechanism generally designated 18 and illustrated by FIG. 3.

Pawl bar reciprocating mechanism 18 consists of a crank arm 19 to which is attached a roller 20 that travels within a channel iron socket 21 secured to and positioned beneath pawl bar 17. The arm 19 is revolved by rotation of the shaft 22 driven by means of the gear reducer 23 (FIG. 1) which is in turn driven by motor 24 through a pulley and belt connection (not shown).

Pawl bar 17 is mounted in suitable bearing guide members (not shown) and supports a series of spaced apart, aligned pawls 25 each of which is pivotally mounted on the pawl bar 17 and suitably suspended to permit individual pawls to pivot in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. to present the vertical portion 26 as a lug or shoulder against a rack 27 to be advanced through a cabinet as the pawl bar is moved in an advancing direction during one portion of its cycle.

A series of laterally spaced-apart headers (not shown) supply means for injecting water or solution under pressure against the dishes traveling Within racks 27 through the chambers or cabinets of the corner-matic unit. These headers may be so arranged as to most efiiciently cleanse the soiled dishes stacked within the traveling racks passing through the various chambers of the washing apparatus.

In FIGURE 1 as a rack of dishes is injected into the first chamber through dish rack receiving opening 15, it is advanced by the pawl bar mechanism 17 in a direction to the left until it actually enters the second chamber 28 through a rear side opening 29, continuing to move until it contacts one end 30 of a pivotally supported bell crank generally designated as 31 (FIG. 2). The pressure of the advancing rack of dishes against bell crank end 30 causes bell crank 31 to pivot thus displacing the cranks opposite end 32 in an upward direction into selective contact with a pivotally secured angle pawl 33 (FIG. 4) which is in turn moved into position to be engaged by the pawl bar reciprocating mechanism 18.

The contact between the advancing rack of dishes and bell crank end 30 causes microswitch 34- (FIG. 6) to be opened thus halting the pawl bar reciprocating mechanism 18 in chamber by de-energizing drive motor 24. Since pivotally secured angle pawl 33 (FIG. 4) is now raised to a pawl engaging position (FIG. 5), it engages the'previously introduced rack of dishes 27 and advances this rack through chamber 28 by a second and separate pawl bar reciprocating mechanism mounted beneath that chamber. Within chamber 28 the advancing dishes are rinsed by a second system of headers positioned therein (not shown). These introduced racks of dishes are continuously advanced through chamber 28 until their discharge at exit 35 onto a collecting stand 36.

In summary, a dish rack is introduced into rack-receiving opening of chamber 10, travels through chamber 10, enters chamber 28 through rear side opening 29 and deflects microswitch 34 thus halting rack-advancing mechanism 17 of chamber 10, engages the rack-advancing mechanism of chamber 28 by lifting pawl 33 to a rackengaging position, moves a dish rack through chamber 28 for the final rinse thereof and discharges that rack through exit 35 onto receiving table 36.

A specific description and discussion of the fluid pumping and injecting apparatus have been purposely omitted since those adapted for use with the present disclosure are of a conventional style and manufacture.

Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made to the orientation of the dish washer and the specific linkage member for advancing racks of dishes therein without departing from the purpose and spirit of this invention and such modifications are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dish washing machine for receiving and conveying dish racks having dishes stacked therein along directed paths of travel through a spray cabinet in which nozzles direct streams of water on the dishes comprising: a first dish rack-receiving compartment with a front wall and side walls, said front wall having a dish rack-receiving opening; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said opening for advancement along a directed path of travel; a pawl bar mounted for reciprocation between said dish rack-supporting means; means for reciprocating said pawl bar; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart dishrack-engaging pawls on said pawl bar to engage and ad- Vance a dish rack in one direction of pawl bar movement through said first compartment; a second dish rack-receiving compartment connecting with and perpendicular to said first compartment having a rear wall and side walls; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said second compartment for advancement along a directed path of travel; a pawl bar mounted for reciprocation between said dish rack-supporting means; means for reciprocating said pawl bar; a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart dish rack-engaging pawls on said pawl bar to engage and advancea dish rack in one direction of pawl bar movement through said first compartment; alternating advancing and reciprocating actuating means comprising a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging member at one end for contacting an advancing dish rack and a pawl-engaging foot at the other end for selectively lifting a pawl, a microswitch disposed to halt reciprocating means in said first compartment when it is contacted by said rack-engaging member and start said means when that member is removed, a pivotally secured angle pawl on said second compartments pawl bar positioned directly above said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot, said pawl being removed from rack contact while said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot is removed from said pivotally secured pawl and exposed for rack contact when the bell cranks pawl-engaging foot contacts and elevates said pawl, to a rack engaging position.

2. A dish washing machine for receiving and conveying dish racks having dishes stacked therein along directed paths of travel through a spray cabinet in which nozzles direct streams of water on the dishes comprising: a first dish rack-receiving compartment with a front wall and side walls, said front wall having a dish rack-receiving opening; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said opening for advancement along a directed path of travel; a pawl bar mounted for reciprocation between said dish rack-supporting means; means for reciprocating said pawl bar; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart dish rack-engaging pawls on said pawl bar, each of said pawls extending vertically above said dish rack-supporting means to engage and forwardly advance a dish rack through the spray cabinet in one direction of pawl bar movement and ride under a dish rack in the opposite direction of pawl bar movement; a second dish rack-receiving compartment connecting with and perpendicular to said first compartment having a rear wall and side walls and pawl bar reciprocating and advancing means therein for moving a dish rack emerging from said first compartment through said second compartment; alternating advancing and reciprocating actuating means comprising a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging stop on one end for contacting a dish rack as it completes its passage through the first compartment and a pawl-engaging foot on the other end for lifting a pawl when the pivot of the bell cranks pawl-engaging foot contacts and elevates said halt reciprocating means in said first compartment when it is cont-acted by said rack-engaging stop and energize said means when that contact is removed, a single pin pawl secured on said second compartments pawl bar positioned directly above said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot, said pawl being removed from rack contact while said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot is removed from said single pin pawl and exposed for rack contact when the bell cranks pawl-engaging foot contacts and elevates said pawl.

3. A dish washing machine for receiving and conveying dish racks having dishes stacked therein along directed paths of travel through a spray cabinet in which nozzles direct streams of water on the dishes comprising: a first dish rack-receiving compartment with a front wall and side walls, said front wall having a dish rack-receiving opening; dish rack-supporting rails mounted adjacent to the inside walls for receiving and supporting a dish rack through the front wall opening; a longitudinally extending dish rack-advancing member reciprocally mounted in said cabinet between said rails, said member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart dish rack-engaging pawls thereon, each of said pawls having a forward rack-engaging portion and a downwardly extending rear portion, said rack-engaging portion reaching above said rails; means for reciprocating said dish rack-advancing member to advance dish racks intermittently on a forward rack-advancing stroke of said member; a second dish rack-receiving compartment connecting with and perpendicular to said first compartment having a rear wall and side walls; dish rack-supporting rails mounted adjacent to the side walls for receiving and supporting a dish rack from said first compartment; a longitudinally extending dish rack-advancing member reciprocally mounted in said cabinet between said rails, said member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart dish rack-engaging pawls thereon, each of said pawls having a forward rack-engaging portion and a downwardly extending rear portion, said rack-engaging portion reaching above said rails; means for reciprocating said dish rack-advancing member to advance dish racks intermittently on a forward rack-advancing stroke of said member; alternating reciprocating actuating means comprising: a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging member on one end positioned to be contacted by a dish rack as it completes its passage through the first compartment and a pawl-engaging foot on the other end for lifting a pawl when the rotation of the bell crank elevates said foot; a microswitch disposed to de-energize reciprocating means in said first compartment when it is contacted by said rack-engaging member and energize said means when said member is removed; a pivotally secured pawl positioned on said second compartments longitudinally extending dish rackadvancing member positioned directly above said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot, said pawls forward rack-engaging portion being removed from rack contact while said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot is removed from said pivotally secured pawl and exposed for rack contact when the bell cranks pawl-engaging foot contacts and elevates said pawl, whereby an advancing dish rack engages and deflects the rack-engaging member and causes it to displace the microswitch thereby halting the first compartments reciprocating means until the actuating dish rack is removed through the second compartment in a path of travel perpendicular to the path of travel through the first compartment and the microswitch is again actuated to re-energize the first compartments actuating means.

4. A dish washing machine for receiving and conveying dish racks having dishes stacked therein along directed paths of travel through a spray cabinet in which nozzles direct streams of water on the dishes comprising: a first dish rack-receiving compartment with a front wall and side walls, said front wall having a dish rack-receiving opening; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said opening for advancement along a directed path of travel; a pawl bar mounted for reciprocation between said dish rack-supporting means; means for reciprocating said pawl bar; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart dish rack engaging pawls on said .pawl bar to engage and advance a dish rack in one direction of pawl bar movement through said first compartment; a second dish rack-receiving compartment connecting with and perpendicular to said first compartment having a rear wall and side walls; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said second compartment for advancement along a directed path of travel; a pawl bar mounted for reciprocation between said dish rack-supporting means; means for reciprocating said pawl bar; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart dish rack-engaging pawls on said pawl bar to engage and advance a dish rack in one direction of pawl bar movement through said first compartment; alternating advanc ing and reciprocating actuating means comprising a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging member on one end for contacting a dish rack as it completes its passage through the first compartment and a pawl-engaging foot on the other end for lifting a pawl when the rotation of the bell crank elevates said foot, =a microswitch disposed to halt reciprocating means in said first compartment when it is contacted by said rack-engaging memher and energize said means when that contact is removed, a single pin pawl secured on said second compartments pawl bar positioned directly above said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot, said pawl being removed from rack contact while said bell cranks pawl-engaging foot is removed from said single pin pawl and exposed for rack contact when the bell cranks pawl-engaging foot contacts and elevates said pawl to a rack-engaging position, whereby an advancing dish rack engages and deflects the rack-engaging stop and causes it to operate the microswitch thereby halting the first compartments rack-advancing reciprocating means until the actuating dish rack is removed in a path of travel perpendicular to the first compartments path of travel and the microswitch is again actuated to re-initiate the first compartments actuating means.

5. A dish washer apparatus for corner installation in which spray headers are positioned to direct fluid on dishes passing along directed paths of travel comprising: a first dish rack conveyor for moving dish racks along a first rectilinear path of travel; a second dish rack conveyor for moving dish racks along a second rectilinear path of travel normal to said first rectilinear path of travel; a cabinet housing said first and second dish rack conveyors and having vertical exterior and interior side walls at right angles to each other for corner cabinet installation; a drive means for each conveyor; and means for transferring a dish rack from the first path of travel to the second path of travel, said means including a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging member on one end positioned to be contacted by a dish rack as it completes its passage along said first conveyor and a pawl-engaging foot on the other end, means disposed to halt movement of said first conveyor when it is contacted by said rack-engaging member and start movement of said first conveyor when said member is removed, a pivotally secured pawl positioned proximate said pawl-engaging foot, said pawl being removed from rack contact when said pawl-engaging foot is removed from said pawl and exposed for rack contact when said pawl-engaging foot contacts and displaces said pawl.

6. A dish washing machine for receiving and conveying dishes supported in dish racks along a directed path of travel comprising: a cabinet with first and second portions at right angles to each other, said first portion having a dish rack-receiving opening at one end and a rack ejec tion position at the other end; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said opening; rack-advancing means for displacing dish racks through said first portion; a said second portion having a rack-receiving area and a rack ejection position for receiving a rack discharged from said first portion; means for supporting dish racks introduced into said second portion from said first portion; rack-advancing means for displacing dish racks through said second portion; and means for transferring a dish rack from said first portion to said second portion for travel therein, said means including a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging member on one end positioned to be contacted by a dish rack as it passes through said first cabinet portions and a pawl-engaging foot on the other end, means disposed to halt movement of the rack within said first cabinet portion when contacted by said rack-engaging member and start movement of a rack within said first portion when said member is removed, a pivotally secured pawl positioned proximate said pawl-engaging foot, said pawl being removed from rack contact when said pawl-engaging foot is remote from said pawl and exposed for rack contact when said pawlengaging foot contacts and elevates said pawl.

7. A dish rack transfer mechanism for moving racks of dishes from a first moving conveyor to a second moving conveyor positioned at right angles thereto comprising: a pivotally supported bell crank having a rack-engaging member on one end positioned to be contacted by a dish rack as it completes its passage along a first conveyor'and a pawl-engaging foot on the other end, a microswitch disposed to halt movement of said first conveyor when it is contacted by said rack-engaging member and start movement of said first conveyor when said member is removed, a pivotally secured pawl positioned approximate said pawl-engaging foot, said pawl being removed from rack contact when said pawl-engaging foot is remote from said pawl and exposed for rack contact when said pawl-engaging foot contacts and elevates said pawl.

References Cited by the Examiner EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

R. E. KRISHER, A. C. HODGSON, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A DISH WASHING MACHINE FOR RECEIVING AND CONVEYING DISH RACKS HAVING DISHES STACKED THEREIN ALONG DIRECTED PATHS OF TRAVEL THROUGH A SPRAY CABINET IN WHICH NOZZLES DIRECT STREAMS OF WATER ON THE DISHES COMPRISING:A A FIRST DISH RACK-RECEIVING COMPARTMENT WITH A FRONT WALL AND SIDE WALLS, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING A DISH RACK-RECEIVING OPENING; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING DISH RACKS INTRODUCED INTO SAID OPENING FOR ADVANCEMENT ALONG A DIRECTED PATH OF TRAVEL; A PAWL BAR MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION BETWEEN SAID DISH RACK-SUPPORTING MEANS; MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PAWL BAR; A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED-APART DISHRACK-ENGAGING PAWLS ON SAID PAWL BAR TO ENGAGE AND ADVANCE A DISH RACK IN ONE DIRECTION OF PAWL BAR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT; A SECOND DISH RACK-RECEIVING COMPARTMENT CONNECTING WITH AND PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT HAVING A REAR WALL AND SIDE WALLS; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING DISH RACKS INTRODUCED INTO SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT FOR ADVANCEMENT ALONG A DIRECTED PATH OF TRAVEL; A PAWL BAR MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION BETWEEN SAID DISH RACK-SUPPORTING MEANS; MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PAWL BAR; A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED-APART DISH RACK-ENGAGING PAWLS ON SAID PAWL BAR TO ENGAGE AND ADVANCE A DISH RACK IN ONE DIRECTION OF PAWL BAR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT; ALTERNATING ADVANC- 